TWO ACCUSED OF ARMED ROBBERIES ON INAGUA

By PAVEL BAILEY Tribune Court Reporter pbailey@tribunemedia.net

TWO Inagua men were charged with stealing $8,500 in cash in a set of armed robberies on the Family Island last week.

Geraldo Brown, 43, and Tromarze Knowles, 25, stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on two counts of armed robbery.

It is alleged that on February 13 in Matthew Town, Inagua, the pair while armed with a handgun robbed Kataro Thomas of $3,500 in cash. They are also accused of stealing $5,000 from Sean McIntosh at gunpoint that same day. Due to these charges being indictable offences, the defendants were not required to enter a plea; they were informed that their matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI). The accused were further told that as the magistrate lacked the jurisdiction to grant bail they had the right to apply for it through the higher court. Until bail is granted, they will be remanded at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. They are expected to receive their VBI on April 24. recipient of these alleged threats is the nation’s leader, the court will not take this matter lightly. She deferred Roberts’ bail hearing to Thursday at 11am. Before being taken into remand at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, the accused was allowed a brief moment in court with his parents.

TWO men were sentenced to 30 and 15 months in prison respectively after admitting to having a banned gun and ammunition last weekend.

Damian Reckley, 19, Brendon Adderley, 19, Thorn Adderley, 29, Thor Adderley, 57, and Ashantee Burrows, 19, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt. There they faced a charge of possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of ammunition.

The Adderleys and Burrows faced additional charges of two counts of ammunition and a single count of possession of a component part of a firearm.

At around 6.15pm on February 17, officers on mobile patrol stopped the defendants on Poinciana Drive for reckless driving of a silver colored Mazda Axela. A search of the vehicle for dangerous drugs and firearms uncovered a red bag in the backseat. In it was a black .40 Austria Glock pistol with the serial number erased. At the time of their arrest the defendants were also found with 12 unfired rounds of .40 ammunition.

In a subsequent police interview, Reckley denied knowledge of the gun.

Then at around 2.45pm on February 18 a search of the Adderleys’ residence by police acting on a warrant found an additional seven unfired rounds of .40 ammunition and one round of .380 ammunition. These bullets along with a black Glock .40 magazine were

In court after consulting with their attorney, Reckley pleaded guilty to the prohibited weapon and attached ammunition charge, while Brendon Adderley pleaded guilty to the remaining charges.

The other accused pleaded not guilty to all charges against them. With Brendon Adderley and Reckley admitting to the offence the charges against the other defendants were officially withdrawn.

Mr Lewis stated that both of his clients are remorseful and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. In addition to saying that Reckley is gainfully employed and that Brendon is the father of a two-yearold child, Mr Lewis asked that the court temper justice with mercy in their respective sentencing.

Regarding Reckley, the chief magistrate said she “shudders” to think what would have happened if police hadn’t intercepted him, saying that the level of guns on the streets have reached alarming proportions.

As such, she sentenced Reckley to two-and-ahalf years in prison for the firearm and ammunition charges to be served concurrently. She further stated that the only reason he was spared a seven-year prison sentence was because of his age, previous clean record and early plea of guilt.

With reference to Brendon Adderley, after it was revealed that he had a prior ammunition conviction from 2021, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for the ammunition and magazine charges.